Contact terminal extraction tool



Aug. 19, 1969 J. w. ANHALT 3,461,533

CONTACT TERMINAL EXTRACTION TOOL Filed March 31, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOQ.

| I 51 JOHN W HNHALT Aug. 19, 1969 J- W. ANHALT CONTACT TERMINAL EXTRACTION TOOL mea March 31, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 to fvvswae. Jbmv W .Q/wmLT Aug. 19,1969 J.W.ANH-.T 3,461,533

CONTACT TERMINAL EXTRACTION TOOL Filed March 31, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jo /v W HNMQLT IN vew r02 United States Patent 3,461,533 CONTACT TERMINAL EXTRACTION TOOL John W. Anhalt, La Crescenta, Califi, assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maryland Filed Mar. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 627,461 Int. Cl. B25b 27/00 US. Cl. 29-203 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Microelectronic connectors utilizing contact terminals locked within a body of insulating material are used extensively in the electronics and related industries. The contact terminals are small and fragile and subject to destruction by mishandling and other causes. To insure proper connection between mating contacts it is the practice to lock the connectors within the connector body. A defective contact terminal must be removed from the connector body however, and because of its small size and locked relationship to the connector body this poses a problem. The extraction tool forming the subject matter of this invention is designed for insertion into the bore occupied by the contact terminal to release the locking mechanism that releasably locks the contact terminal within the bore. The tool additionally incorporates means for imposing a propelling force on the contact terminal once it has been released for extraction.

The present invention relates generally to an extraction tool for microelectronic contact terminals, and more particularly, to an extraction tool adapted to be inserted into a bore in a connector body occupied by a contact terminal and locked therewithin, to efiect nondestructive unlocking thereof from the connector body and to impose a propelling force on the released terminal to drive it from the bore.

Background of invention In the assembly and use of microelectronic and electrical connectors of the type wherein contact terminals are held within appropriate bores formed in a connector body it is desirable that the contact terminals be inserted with a minimum of force, that once inserted they be incapable of rotation so as to maintain the same orientation with the connector body throughout the life thereof, and that they be locked against inadvertent extraction from the connector body, but which when desired, may be unlocked and extracted from the connector body without being destroyed or damaged.

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide an extraction tool useful in conjunction with a contact terminal having the attributes discussed, and which is capable of releasing and nondestructively extracting a contact terminal which normally lies locked within a connector body.

The nature of microelectronic and electrical connectors utilizing the type of contact terminal contemplated and disclosed prevents occular observation of the contact terminal within the connector body. Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide an extraction tool which automatically orients itself in relation to the contact terminal to be extracted when the tool is inserted into the connector bore within which the contact terminal is locked.

Other objects and features of advantage will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It should be understood, however, that the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and described should not be taken as restrictive of the inventive concept since' 3,461,533 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 various embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

Summary of invention In terms of broad inclusion, the contact terminal extraction tool of the invention is adapted for use in conjunction with an electrical or microelectronic connector including a body of dielectric material having one or more bores therethrough within each of which bores is supported a contact terminal having an integral and resilient tine projecting out of the plane of the contact terminal and releasably locked behind an abutment projecting into the bore, so as to prevent inadvertent extraction of the contact terminal from the connector body. Electrical connectors of this type include a backside and a frontside, with the contact terminal being inserted into the bore from the backside of the electrical connector. Electrical connection is made to associated electrical or electronic gear by inserting appropriate contact pins into the bores and into resilient engagement with the contact terminals from the frontside of the electrical connector.

Extraction of the contact terminal from within the connector body in a manner which does not destroy the contact terminal is exceedingly diflicult if not impossible without the use of an appropriate tool. The extraction tool of the invention comprises an elongated blade having a bifurcated probe portion at one end adapted for insertion into a bore in the electrical connector from the frontside thereof. The probe portion is provided with means to engage the resilient tine so as to flex it out of engagement with the abutment within the bore, and thus release the contact terminal for extraction from the bore. Release of the contact terminal, however, does not automatically effect extraction. To extract the contact terminal, the extraction tool is provided with a driver movably mounted on the blade and having a plate portion oriented so as to abut the forward end of the contact terminal when the driver is moved into the bore. The application of force on the driver propels the contact terminal along the bore sufliciently to drive the resilient tine past the abutment in the bore and thus release the contact terminal for complete extraction from the backside of the connector body.

Brief description of drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the extraction tool of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing the extraction tool, contact terminal and connector body in partial engagement.

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in horizontal section disclosing the same relationship between the connector body, contact terminal and the extraction tool as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the probe portion of the tool inserted to a greater depth to effect unlocking of the resilient tine.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the tool inserted to its maximum depth and the driver moved forwardly into the bore to propel the tine past the abutment in the bore to release the contact terminal therefrom.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 66 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a dilferent embodiment of the extraction tool, in conjunction with a portion of a connector body and a contact terminal.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the tool shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the extraction tool shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Description of preferred embodiment Referring specifically to FIGS. 16, inclusive, the contact terminal extraction tool of the invention is adapted for use to effect the non-destructive extraction of a contact terminal referred to generally by numeral 2 from bore 3 formed in dielectric body 4 of an electrical connector. The contact terminal is provided with forwardly extending resilient fingers 6 spaced apart and converging toward their free ends 7 to provide opposed contact portions 8. The contact terminal is also provided with a resilient tine 9 struck from the body of the contact terminal and projecting out of the plane thereof to provide a free end 12 adapted to engage behind abutment 13 projecting into bore 3 when the contact terminal is inserted thereinto. The contact terminal is also provided with a ferrule 14 crimped and soldered about an electrical conductor 16.

To effect non-destructive extraction of the contact terminal described above, the extraction tool of the invention comprises an elongated blade 17 having at one end thereof a probe portion designated generally by numeral 18, proportioned to permit insertion of the probe portion into the front end of bore 3 formed in the connector body. The probe portion is provided with a bifurcated section designated generally by numeral 19 and having elongated fingers 21 and 22 spaced apart to snugly receive therebetween the forward portion of the contact terminal. At a point spaced from their forward ends, the fingers are joined by a bridge 23 preferably having the same thickness as the blade, and having at each opposite end converging cam surfaces 24 and 26 as shown. The probe portion immediately behind bridge 23 is provided with an elongated longitudinally extending slot 27, defined at its forward end by the bridge 23 and at its end remote from the bridge terminating in the blade 17.

As shown best in FIG. 3, when the probe portion is inserted into the bore, fingers 21 and 22 are guided into the bore by contact portions 8 which, prior to engagement with bridge 23, lie in close proximity to each other. The contact portions are resiliently biased away from each other by insertion of the bridge 23 therebetween. When the probe portion is inserted further into the bore, the fingers 21 and 22 are guided at their forward ends on the body of the contact terminal at the base of resilient fingers 6, while the free ends of fingers 6, specifically contact portions 8, slide olf cam surfaces 26 into slot 27 so that the probe portion is also guided during insertion by the forward end of the contact terminal working in slot 27.

In the position of the probe portion shown in FIG. 4, finger 21 has engaged tine 9, and has flexed it toward the plane of the contact terminal body so as to free it from abutment 13 as shown. The probe portion is then counter further until the ends of fingers 21 and 22 encounter abutments 13, at which point the contact terminal is in condition to be extracted.

Inasmuch as the contact terminal is of small size and exceedingly fragile, it is not advisable to grasp the ferrule 14 or conductor 16 and impose tension on the contact terminal to effect extraction. To effect non-destructive extraction of the contact terminal from the bore, it is preferable that an impelling force be imposed on the front end of the contact terminal. The extraction tool is accordingly provided with a driver designated generally by numeral 31. The driver includes a generally fiat forward plate portion 32 lying in planar alignment with the contact portions 8 of the contact terminal. To retain the flat plate portion 32 of the driver in planar alignment with contact portions 8, the plate portion 32 of the driver is engaged in the longitudinally extending slot 27, and at its end remote from the contact terminal the fiat plate portion 32 merges with a rearwardly extending inclined body section 33 disposed along one side of the blade 17. The inclined body section 33 terminates in a depending tab 34 having a vertical slot 36 therein through which 4 the blade 17 extends and by which the driver is additionally guided in its movement along the blade.

It will thus be seen that with the extraction tool in the position shown in FIG. 4, movement of the driver forwardly by exerting a force on the depending tab 34 will bring the forward edge 37 of the driver into engagement with the forward ends '7 of the contact terminal. Continued force on the driver will propel the contact terminal to the left as viewed in FIGS. 15 and drive the tine 9 from its unlocked position shown in FIG. 4 to its fully released position shown in FIG. 5. Having thus released the contact terminal from its locked condition as shown in FIG. 2, and having initiated the extraction of the contact terminal from the bore by propelling it out of the contact terminal from the bore by propelling it out of the bore by use of driver 31, a gentle tug on the ferrule 14 is sufficient to complete the extraction processes.

In the embodiment of the extraction tool shown in FIGS. 7-9, inclusive, the design of the contact terminal is ditferent from the contact terminal shown in FIGS. 1-5. This difference in design in contact terminal requires a modification in the embodiment of the invention in the extraction tool shown in FIGS. 7-9.

Accordingly, with specific reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 79, the contact terminal designated generally by numeral 41 includes a tang 42 to which an electrical conductor (not shown) may be connected, and a forward contact portion 43 of elongated and rectangular cross section. Spaced from its forward end 44, the contact portion 43 is provided with a tine 46 struck from the body of the contact and provided with a free end 47 adapted to lock behind an appropriate abutment 48 formed in the bore 43 of the connector block 51. It will thus be seen that during insertion of the contact terminal into the bore 49, the tine is depressed into the plane of the contact blade 43 by the camming action of the abutment 48, until the blade moves forwardly sufficiently to permit the tine 46 to snap outwardly so that its forward end 47 engages behind abutment 48. When this occurs, the contact terminal can no longer be extracted inadvertently by movement of the contact terminal to the left as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

To effect non-destructive extraction of the blade-like contact terminal, the extraction tool generally designated by numeral 52 is utilized to resiliently depress tine 46 to release the contact terminal to permit its rearward extraction from bore 49. Primarily, the difference between the extraction tool shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 and the extraction tool shown in FIGS. 1-6 involves the probe portion 53 which, in the present embodiment, comprises a pair of forwardly extending fingers 54 and 56, spaced apart and adapted to slide snugly over the contact blade 43, as shown best in FIG. 7. Adjacent their forward ends, the fingers 54 and 56 are provided with laterally projecting protuberances 57 proportioned to guide on the interior surface 58 of bore 49. Thus, as shown best in FIG. 7, continued movement of the probe portion to the left will impose a vertical component of force on the tine by virtue of the inclined surface 59 thereon, so that as forward movement progresses the tine will be resiliently depressed into the plane of the contact blade 43, thus releasing it from its engagement behind abutment 48. With the tine thus released from engagement, forward movement of the driver 31' effects engagement of the forward end thereof with the forward end 44 of the contact blade, so as to propel the contact blade to the left as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 and out of the bore.

In order that the contact blade not be deformed upon insertion of the probe portion of the tool into the bore, the probe portion is provided with a laterally extending C-shaped portion 61 which bridges and lends rigidity to the fingers 54 and 56 adjacent their base where they merge with the blade 17'. The C-shaped portion is snug- 1y received in a key-slot or notch 62 formed in the bore adjacent the front side of the connector body. Thus, the probe portion of the tool is guided in its movement through the bore, insuring that deflection thereof will not occur to deform the contact blade.

I claim: 1

1. A- tool for use in conjunction with an electrical connector to effect non-destructive release and extraction from the connector body of a contact terminal member having an integral resilient tine projecting out of the plane of the contact member and releasably locked behind an abutment projecting into a bore extending through the electrical connector, comprising a blade having a probe portion adapted for insertion into the bore to depress the tine out of engagement with the abutment in the bore, and a driver movably mounted on the blade and movable into propelling engagement with the contact member within the bore to propel the depressed tine past the abutment to release the contact member for extraction from the connector body.

2. The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the probe portion of the blade comprises a bifurcated section having fingers spaced to receive the contact member therebetween when the probe portion is inserted into the bore to depress the tine.

3. The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade is provided with a longitudinally extending slot, and the driver is guided in its movement along the blade by the slot.

4. The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the probe portion includes a finger adapted to project into the space between the bore wall and the tine to impose a transverse camming force on the time to flex it out of engagement with the abutment.

5. The combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the driver is provided with a generally fiat forward plate portion lying in planar alignment with the contact terminal member so as to engage and propel the contact terminal member when the probe is inserted in the bore and the driver is moved along the blade into the bore.

6. The combination according to claim 2, in which the contact terminal is provided with a bifurcated front portion having elongated arms converging toward their free ends to provide opposed contact portions spaced apart a distance less than the thickness of the blade, characterized in that a wedge member bridges the space between the fingers of the probe portion at a point spaced from the ends of the fingers so that initial insertion of the probe into the bore is guided by the opposed contact portions working in the space between the fingers and continued insertion forces the wedge member between the opposed contact portions to resiliently bias the arms away from each other and permit passage of the probe into the bore.

7. The combination according to claim 2, in which the contact terminal includes a rectangular pin portion with the tine struck therefrom and projecting out of the plane of the pin, characterized in that the end of the bore associated with the rectangular pin portion is formed with a key slot, and a C-shaped member extends between the fingers of the probe at a point spaced from their ends and is laterally displaced therefrom to engage the key slot when the probe is inserted into the bore.

8. The combination according to claim 3, characterized in that the driver is provided with a generally flat forward plate portion lying in the longitudinally extending slot in the blade, said forward plate portion merging with a rearwardly extending inclined body section disposed along one side of the blade and terminating in a depending tab having a slot through which the blade extends to guide the driver in its movement along the blade.

9. The combination according to claim 7, characterized in that the rectangular pin portion of the contact extends through the C-shaped member when the probe portion is inserted sufficiently to engage the C-shaped member in the key slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,170,230 2/ 1965 Gaizauskas 29203 3,197,849 8/1965 Johnson 29203 3,325,884 6/1967 Blight et al. 29203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 29206, 278 

